ALBERT

Notes: Abstract Changes in the wet weights and lipid contents of muscle, liver and gonad were determined in male and female Mallotus villosus in Balsfjorden, northern Norway, in 1981, from January, when gonadal development becomes noticeable, until May when the fish are spawning. Fatty acid compositions of tissue lipids were also determined. Over 4 mo prior to spawning, the weight of muscle in female capelin decreased by 32% while the weight of the ovary increased exponentially by 830%. In males the weight of the muscle remained constant and that of the testis decreased slightly. The lipid contents of the muscle of both males and females decreased by 76% over the period and an inverse relationship existed between the water and lipid contents of muscle in both sexes. Male liver weight remained constant over the period of study whereas female liver weight increased transiently by 300% between January and March. 38% of the lipid lost from female muscle was accounted for by lipid deposited in ovary whereas negligible amounts of the lipid lost from male muscle was accounted for by lipid in the testis. Gonadal lipid was always richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids than muscle lipid and, immediately prior to spawning, 42% of the fatty acids in ovarian lipid were polyunsaturated. Muscle lipid of males and females showed a progressive increase in the percentage of the long-chain monoenes 20:1 and 22:1 between January and May. It is concluded that male capelin catabolise more of their muscle lipid reserves than females in the 4 mo prior to spawning and that most of the lipid catabolism in males is associated with physical activity. Conversely, females deposit much more of their muscle lipid in gonads than males, although considerable selectivity occurs in the mobilisation of fatty acids from muscle lipid into ovarian lipid. Additionally, biosynthesis of gonadal constituents accounts for a considerable proportion of the lipid catabolised in females.

Notes: Abstract Biosynthesis of lipids by Thysanoessa inermis collected from Balsfjorden, northern Norway, in May 1980, was examined in vitro. The highest concentration of lipid within the krill was in the “hepatopancreas”, and this organ was the most active in esterifying free fatty acids into wax esters. The “hepatopancreas” (i.e., thoracic contents) incorporated (14C) glucose, (14C) alanine and 3H2O into wax esters, with the fatty alcohol moieties being labelled more than the fatty acids. (14C) fatty acid was incorporated preferentially into the fatty acid moieties of wax esters, this incorporation being markedly stimulated by free fatty alcohol. It is concluded that the fatty alcohols of wax esters are preferentially biosynthesized de novo from dietary protein and carbohydrates, whereas the fatty acids derive preferentially from dietary lipid. On the basis of 3H incorporated from 3H2O, the hepatopancreas in a 50 mg II-group (2 yr old) individual of T. inermis is capable of biosynthesizing de novo, approximately 0.1 mg of lipid (as fatty acids) per day at 5°C.

Notes: Abstract A comparison was made of neutral lipid biosynthesis by intact Euchaeta norvegica, gut tissue isolated from E. norvegica and the E. norvegica from which the gut tissue had been removed. Incorporation of radioactive glucose and alanine into triacylglycerols by all three systems exceeded that into wax esters. Whereas 86.7% of the glucose incorporated into triacylglycerols by gut tissue was located in the glycerol moiety, only 21.8 and 23.8% of glucose incorporated into triacylglycerols by intact and disembowelled copepods, respectively, was recovered in the glycerol moiety. Incorporated alanine in triacylglycerols was always located preferentially in the fatty acid moiety. Radioactive hexadecanol was always extensively incorporated into wax esters, with internal tissues being much more active than gut tissue. The major portion of glucose and alanine incorporated into wax esters was in the fatty alcohol moiety. Gut tissue was much more active than internal tissues in oxidising hexadecanol to hexadecanoic acid. We conclude that gut tissue synthesises glycerol 3-phosphate for use in the esterification of dietary fatty acids to form triacylglycerols. Gut tissue is also activenin oxidising dietary fatty alcohols. Fatty acid biosynthesis, leading to wax ester formation, is a property of internal tissues rather than of the gut.

Notes: Summary Approximately 1590 Hispaniolan colubrid snakes representing six genera and eight species were examined for prey remains (Alsophis cantherigerus, Antillophis parvifrons, Darlingtonia haetiana, Hypsirhynchus ferox, Ialtris dorsalis, Uromacer catesbyi, U. frenatus, and U. oxyrhynchus). The snakes were collected at many localities over a span of 80 years. Of 426 prey items, 77.9% were lizards (of which 69.6% were anoles), 19% frogs, 2.6% birds and mammals, and 0.5% other snakes. Darlingtonia was the only snake that did not exploit lizards; it fed exclusively on Eleutherodactylus frogs, including egg clutches. Disregarding Darlingtonia, there is no size class of Hispaniolan colubrids between 20–90 cm SVL that does not prey primarily on Anolis. Certain prey genera are added to, or deleted from, diets depending on snake size, but the data suggest that snake SVL alone does little to dictate what prey genera (or groups) are eaten. Shannon-Wiener values (H') indicate that Darlingtonia has the narrowest trophic niche, while Alsophis and Ialtris have the widest. Values of H' are not correlated with snake SVL, but highly significant (P〈0.001) correlations exist between H' and mid-body circumference, head width, and snout width, and these characters may be indicators of trophic generalists and specialists. Anolis lizards are the most ubiquitous and conspicuous vertebrates on Hispaniola, and it is not surprising that they are widely exploited as a food source. Although as some snake species grow larger, anoles play a decreasingly important role in their diets, there is no evidence to suggest that they are ever abandoned as a food source by any Hispaniolan colubrid of any size. Secretive lizards of low vagility are eaten almost exclusively by wide ranging foragers (Alsophis, Antillophis); very active prey (Ameiva) is taken by sit-and-wait strategists (Hysirhynchus, U. frenatus). Those snakes which exploit the most prey groups are active foragers. Uromacer catesbyi exhibits both foraging modes, and predictably, eats diurnally active (anoles) and diurnally quiescent (hylid frogs) prey with almost equal frequency. Within Maglio's cantherigerus species assemblage, in which an Alsophis cantherigerus-like snake was ancestral to the other species, and in which longsnouted Uromacer are the most morphologically derived, there is an obvious trend toward trophic specialization on Hispaniola. The West Indies have provided an ideal natural laboratory for the investigation of many aspects of vertebrate ecology, and an arena in which to test theories of island biogeography. The most extensively studied West Indian vertebrates have been the lizards of the iguanid genus Anolis. Conversely, the ecology of West Indian snakes has been largely ignored. This is surprising in light of the fact that much has been written about Anolis predation, but little has been written about predators of Anolis; snakes may be important, frequent consumers of anoles. Hispaniola is physiographically and ecologically the most diverse of the Greater Antilles and, concomitantly, it has the most diverse snake fauna, including six colubrid genera containing 11 described species. It has rich frog and lizard faunas, but only two endemic mammals. Study of the diets of Hispaniola's colubrid snakes was undertaken to gain initial insights into the ecology of the snakes and to determine 1) what the snakes eat; 2) what relationships exist between snake diet and snake size as well as head and body proportions; 3) what relationships exist between snake foraging mode and prey type and size; 4) if anoles, as the most ubiquitous and conspicuous vertebrates on Hispaniola, comprise an important source of food; 5) if significant geographical differences in diet exist, expecially on satellite islands; 6) if “north island” and “south island” (sensu Williams 1961) Anolis ecomorphs are preyed upon by the same snake species in similar proportions; 7) if snakes are selective or opportunistic predators. This paper, the first in a series that will address all of the above topics, will briefly describe methods, snake species and prey genera. Prey genera are analyzed in terms of what snake taxa prey upon them, what size classes of snakes prey upon them, and prey genera diversity versus snake size and proportions.

Notes: Summary Silver-staining has been used to identify the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) in the bharal. These show homology with sheep, goat, cattle and aoudad. The association of the NORs on both telomeres of chromosome 3 results in a ‘ring’ chromosome.

Notes: Abstract Cumulus apatite, sphene, feldspar, amphibole and biotite from the pulaskite of the Kangerdlugssuaq alkaline intrusion have been analysed for rare earth elements (REE) by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The apatite is particularly rich in REE, contains 3.6% Ce and shows a steep, light REE-enriched, chondrite-normalised pattern. The other minerals have light REE enrichment but with sphene showing a peak at Ce on a chondrite-normalised plot. REE partition coefficient values show that the light REE are preferentially accommodated by apatite relative to sphene. The differences in these coefficients result from differences in the co-ordination of the REE in the two minerals.

Notes: Abstract Compositions of chrome-spinels in peridotites from the layered igneous rocks of Rhum and of the Ben Buie intrusion, Mull, show evidence of post-depositional reaction relationships with the cumulus olivine and/or the intercumulus liquid. Some seam-forming spinels in the Ben Buie intrusion are highly aluminous, more so than those in the Rhum intrusion. Occasional zoned spinels, in both intrusions, show enrichment in Al towards their rims. The evidence suggests that the spinel reaction trend involving Cr-Al exchange proceeds in the direction of Al-enrichment. Equilibrium between chrome-spinel and cumulus olivine appears to have been attained rarely, thus limiting the application of the olivine-spinel geothermometer.

Notes: Summary The toxic potential of formaldehyde has recently been widely discussed, including the consequences of its release from certain building materials. The action of methenamine, used in the treatment of urinary infections, is based on the release of formaldehyde in the body. Various aspects of formaldehyde toxicity are discussed as a basis for reevaluation of methenamine and reconsideration of its safety.

Notes: Abstract The diffusion properties of Na, Cs, Sr, Ba, Co, Mn, Fe and Sc ions in a basaltic and an andesitic melt have been determined experimentally using the radiotracer residual-activity method, and narrow platinum capillaries, over the temperature range 1,300–1,400° C. Diffusion of all cations follows an Arrhenius relationship; the values of the activation energies range from 24 kcal mol−1 for Na to 67 kcal mol−1 for Co in the andesitic melt, and from 39 kcal mol−1 for Na to 65 kcal mol−1 for Cs in the basaltic melt. Relative diffusivities in the basaltic melt, but not in the andesitic melt, correlate with assumed ionic radii values. Each cation, except Na+, diffuses faster in the basaltic melt than in the andesitic melt over the studied temperature range. Sodium shows similar diffusivity in the two melts. Compensation diagrams incorporating new and some previously-published data indicate that Cs probably diffuses by different mechanisms in different silicate glass and melt systems. Iron has a relatively high activation energy which is consistent with its part occupancy of tetrahedral co-ordination polyhedra.